THE RIDICULOUS SIX IS JUST THAT, RIDICULOUS
By:-Gary Norris Gray-BASN Staff Reporter
OAKLAND, CA.- Earlier this week, about a dozen Native American actors walked off the set of Adam Sandler’s Netflix film The Ridiculous Six after their concerns about the western parody’s “racist” jokes were dismissed. The movie’s culture consultant walked off the set earlier that same week after an effort was made to revise the set for a tasteful atmosphere for Native American brothers and sisters. It never happened.
The movie industry once again is selling the stereotype of Native Americans with Adam Sandler’s film “The Ridiculous Six is a satire on The Magnificent Seven movie western. The question should be asked have they gone too far.
Ms. Allison Young, one of the actors, stated that something was defiantly wrong when they painted her gold. Ms. Young already has a brown skin tone. Something was wrong with the female characters being named Beaver’s Breath and No Bra. This could be interpreted by other female movie fans as misogynist at most and sexist at least. In one scene Beaver’s Breath is peeing outside and smoking on a peace pipe. Another scene No Bra is passed out on the floor when a group of white males pour beer over her, talking to her in a very abrasive, aggressive, and demeaning tone. No Bra gets up and starts dancing around these men. A happy drunk Indian woman the comic scenes continue the legacy of stereotypes of Native American Sisters.
Last the misrepresentation of the Apache Tribe with actors from The Navajo Tribe who are dressed like the Comanche Tribe. Talk about not doing their homework, this is it.
The actors objected to elements of the screenplay and action that they found stereotypical, offensive and demeaning. Ben Shelly, President of the Navajo Nation, has come out in support of the actors, saying in a statement that “Our Native American culture and tradition is no joking matter. … Enough is enough.”

The lack of respect toward our Native Americans Brothers and Sisters are the reasons why Dan Snyder, THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL CLUB, the Cleveland Indians, The NFL, and MLB get away with naming their team the REDSKINS and putting the mascot Chief Wahoo on their baseball caps and the sleeves of their uniforms. It does not matter to them because it does not affect them. For those who do not know Chief Wahoo is just a RED FACED SAMBO. The lack of political, economic, and social power continues this sad American legacy
David Hill 74-year old, Choctaw, a member of the American Indian Movement, also left the movie set. “They were being disrespectful,” he said. “They were bringing up those same old arguments that Dan Snyder uses in defending the Redskins. But let me tell you, our dignity is not for sale. It is a real shame because a lot of people probably stay because they need a job.”

The filming of “Ridiculous Six” is assisted through tax refunds issued by the State of New Mexico. Thus, state government plays an active role in underwriting this movie. To attract film and television companies to New Mexico, the state’s Tax & Revenue Department offers up to 30% refunds of taxes paid there by the companies. The New Mexico Film Office is a division of the state’s Economic Development Department. The Film Office was reported as having said the dispute was a First Amendment “freedom of speech” issue and that the office had no say over the movie’s content.
“As long as the production meets the requirements in the film credit statute, there is nothing prohibiting them from filming in New Mexico and receiving the rebate,” the office was reported to have said in a statement. However, granting tax credits to assist in filming is a different matter than when government merely allows the exercise of free speech without financially assisting the speaker.

It is ironic that former rapper and hip hop artist Vanilla Ice now claims to be Native American from the Choctaw Nation. He stated that loves the movie, he should because he, “Ice” is in the movie.
Allison Young, Navajo, a former film student from Dartmouth, was also offended by the stereotypes portrayed and the outright disrespect paid to her and others by the director and producers.
“When I began doing this film, I had an uneasy feeling inside of me and I felt so conflicted,” she said. “I talked to a former instructor at Dartmouth and he told me to take this as finally experiencing stereotyping first hand. We talked to the producers about our concerns. They just told us, ‘If you guys are so sensitive, you should leave.’ I was just standing there and got emotional and teary-eyed. I didn’t want to cry but the feeling just came over me. This is supposed to be a comedy that makes you laugh. A film like this should not make someone feel this way.”
“Nothing has changed,” said Young. “We are still just Hollywood Indians.”
Read more athttp://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/04/23/native-actors-walk-set-adam-sandler-movie-after-insults-women-elders-160110